The Multicultural Innovative Community for Academic Success and Achievement Center hosted a “Paint and Pan Dulce” event on Wednesday in honor of Latinx History Month.

The event was also hosted in collaboration with the Center for Inclusion and Belonging.

More than 25 students gathered to attend a step-by-step painting tutorial led by Natomas-based painter Raul Mejia.

“Not only is it important to share parts of my culture but it’s also important to share the education that I gain from it,” Mejia said. “This month is an opportunity to educate yourself deeper on those who have come before us.”

The event took place in the Center for Inclusion and Belonging and a variety of Mexican pan dulce and drinks, like Mexican hot chocolate, were provided.

Student Life Supervisor Oscar Mendoza-Plascencia said that Mejia was asked to lead the event because he is someone who understands the center, the needs of students and Sacramento.

“We cannot exist by ourselves, we need to build a community and feel like we are a part of something bigger,” Mendoza-Plascencia said. “The fact that we can create something as a collective is important.”

Students were taught how to paint a monarch butterfly, which is symbolic in Mexican culture. The butterfly represents the connection of the living to the dead, according to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

The monarchs are also a symbol for migration and are often used to represent immigration services like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy in the United States.

“It’s important to remind folks that we are all human beings and we all want the same thing,” Mejia said. “Migration is just part of the human experience, no matter what. All things migrate for survival.”

Hao Kieu, a 25-year-old studio arts major, said that it’s important to have these history months because our culture is very diverse, but there is still misrepresentation.

“In the past, maybe 10 or 20 years ago, you would feel like you would have to hide your identity,” Kieu said. “Being able to have an event that’s official like this and to be officially represented just makes you feel safer.”

The event was one of many National Hispanic American Heritage Month celebrations held on campus.

“I learned a couple of new things about my culture today that I didn’t know before,” said 17-year-old business administration major Esteban Madriz-Mendoza.

MI CASA provides support for Latinx students to reach their academic goals, according to their description on the CRC website.

“You have to have the support of the other people with backgrounds who understand you that can help you along the way,” said Angela Fegan, an instructional assistant on campus.

The Center for Inclusion and Belonging is open to all students Monday through Friday and is located in the library in L-106.